scholarly journals Evaluating the Use of Mobile Health Technology in Older Adults With Heart Failure: Mixed-Methods Study

JMIR Aging ◽  
10.2196/12178 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. e12178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leanne L Lefler ◽  
Sarah J Rhoads ◽  
Melodee Harris ◽  
Ashley E Funderburg ◽  
Sandra A Lubin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Mobile Health Technology

scholarly journals Transitions at the end of life for older adults – patient, carer and professional perspectives: a mixed-methods study

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (17) ◽  
pp. 1-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Hanratty ◽  
Elizabeth Lowson ◽  
Gunn Grande ◽  
Sheila Payne ◽  
Julia Addington-Hall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
Life Transitions ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Life Care ◽  
Individual Needs

BackgroundThe end of life may be a time of high service utilisation for older adults. Transitions between care settings occur frequently, but may produce little improvement in symptom control or quality of life for patients. Ensuring that patients experience co-ordinated care, and moves occur because of individual needs rather than system imperatives, is crucial to patients’ well-being and to containing health-care costs.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to understand the experiences, influences and consequences of transitions between settings for older adults at the end of life. Three conditions were the focus of study, chosen to represent differing disease trajectories.SettingEngland.ParticipantsThirty patients aged over 75 years, in their last year of life, diagnosed with heart failure, lung cancer and stroke; 118 caregivers of decedents aged 66–98 years, who had died with heart failure, lung cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or selected other cancers; and 43 providers and commissioners of services in primary care, hospital, hospice, social care and ambulance services.Design and methodsThis was a mixed-methods study, composed of four parts: (1) in-depth interviews with older adults; (2) qualitative interviews and structured questionnaire with bereaved carers of older adult decedents; (3) telephone interviews with care commissioners and providers using case scenarios derived from the interviews with carers; and (4) analysis of linked Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) and mortality data relating to hospital admissions for heart failure and lung cancer in England 2001–10.ResultsTransitions between care settings in the last year of life were a common component of end-of-life care across all the data sets that made up this study, and many moves were made shortly before death. Patients’ and carers’ experiences of transitions were of a disjointed system in which organisational processes were prioritised over individual needs. In many cases, the family carer was the co-ordinator and provider of care at home, excluded from participation in institutional care but lacking the information and support to extend their role with confidence. The general practitioner (GP) was a valued, central figure in end-of-life care across settings, though other disciplines were critical of GPs’ expertise and adherence to guidelines. Out-of-hours services and care homes were identified by many as contributors to unnecessary transitions. Good relationships and communication between professionals in different settings and sectors was recognised by families as one of the most important influences on transitions but this was rarely acknowledged by staff.ConclusionsDevelopment of a shared understanding of professional and carer roles in end-of-life transitions may be one of the most effective ways of improving patients’ experiences. Patients and carers manage many aspects of end-of-life care for themselves. Identifying ways to extend their skills and strengthen their voices, particularly in hospital settings, would be welcomed and may reduce unnecessary end-of-life transitions. Why the experiences of carers appear to have changed little, despite the implementation of a range of relevant policies, is an important question that has not been answered. Recommendations for future research include the relationship between policy interventions and the experiences of end-of-life carers; identification of ways to harmonise understanding of the carers’ role and strengthen their voice, particularly in hospital settings; identification of ways to reduce the influence of interprofessional tensions in end-of-life care; and development of interventions to enhance patients’ experiences across transitions.FundingThe National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research programme.

scholarly journals Evaluating the Use of Mobile Health Technology in Older Adults With Heart Failure: Mixed-Methods Study (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leanne L Lefler ◽  
Sarah J Rhoads ◽  
Melodee Harris ◽  
Ashley E Funderburg ◽  
Sandra A Lubin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Call Center ◽  
Standard Care ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Post Intervention

BACKGROUND Heart failure (HF) is associated with high rates of hospitalizations, morbidity, mortality, and costs. Remote patient monitoring (mobile health, mHealth) shows promise in improving self-care and HF management, thus increasing quality of care while reducing hospitalizations and costs; however, limited information exists regarding perceptions of older adults with HF about mHealth use. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to compare perspectives of older adults with HF who were randomized to either (1) mHealth equipment connected to a 24-hour call center, (2) digital home equipment, or (3) standard care, with regard to ease and satisfaction with equipment, provider communication and engagement, and ability to self-monitor and manage their disease. METHODS We performed a pilot study using a mixed-methods descriptive design with pre- and postsurveys, following participants for 12 weeks. We augmented these data with semistructured qualitative interviews to learn more about feasibility, satisfaction, communication, and self-management. RESULTS We enrolled 28 patients with HF aged 55 years and above, with 57% (16/28) male, 79% (22/28) non-Hispanic white, and with multiple comorbid conditions. At baseline, 50% (14/28) rated their health fair or poor and 36% (10/28) and 25% (7/28) were very often/always frustrated and discouraged by their health. At baseline, 46% (13/28) did not monitor their weight, 29% (8/28) did not monitor their blood pressure, and 68% (19/28) did not monitor for symptoms. Post intervention, 100% of the equipment groups home monitored daily. For technology anxiety, 36% (10/28) indicated technology made them nervous, and 32% (9/28) reported fear of technology, without significant changes post intervention. Technology usability post intervention scored high (91/100), reflecting ease of use. A majority indicated that a health care provider should be managing their health, and 71% reported that one should trust and not question the provider. Moreover, 57% (16/28) believed it was better to seek professional help than caring for oneself. Post intervention, mHealth users relied more on themselves, which was not mirrored in the home equipment or standard care groups. Participants were satisfied with communication and engagement with providers, yet many described access problems. Distressing symptoms were unpredictable and prevailed over the 12 weeks with 79 provider visits and 7 visits to emergency departments. The nurse call center received 872 readings, and we completed 289 telephone calls with participants. Narrative data revealed the following main themes: (1) traditional communication and engagement with providers prevailed, delaying access to care; (2) home monitoring with technology was described as useful, and mHealth users felt secure knowing that someone was observing them; (3) equipment groups felt more confident in self-monitoring and managing; and finally, (4) uncertainty and frustration with persistent health problems. CONCLUSIONS mHealth equipment is feasible with potential to improve patient-centered outcomes and increase self-management in older adults with HF.

The neuroethical future of wearable and mobile health technology

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karola V. Kreitmair ◽  
Mildred K. Cho
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Health ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
The Self ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Mobile Health Technology ◽  
Healthcare Settings ◽  
Healthcare It ◽  
Mobile Mental Health ◽  
Privacy And Confidentiality

Wearable and mobile health technology is becoming increasingly pervasive, both in professional healthcare settings and with individual consumers. This chapter delineates the various functionalities of this technology and identifies its different purposes. It then addresses the ethical challenges that this pervasiveness poses in the areas of accuracy and reliability of the technology, privacy and confidentiality of data, consent, and the democratization of healthcare. It also looks at mobile mental health apps as a case study to elucidate the discussion of ethical issues. Finally, the chapter turns to the question of how this technology and the associated “quantification of the self” affect traditional modes of epistemic access to and phenomenological conceptions of the self.

scholarly journals Women’s Usage Behavior and Perceived Usefulness with Using a Mobile Health Application for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Mixed-Methods Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6670
Author(s):  
Shilpa Surendran ◽  
Chang Siang Lim ◽  
Gerald Choon Huat Koh ◽  
Tong Wei Yew ◽  
E Shyong Tai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Gestational Diabetes ◽  
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Usage Behavior

The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing, and only a few mobile health (mHealth) applications are specifically designed to manage GDM. In this mixed-methods study, a follow-up study of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) analyzed a largely automated mHealth application-based lifestyle coaching program to (a) measure the application’s usage behavior and (b) explore users’ perceptions of its usefulness in GDM management. Quantitative data were collected from the 170 application users who had participated in the intervention arm of the RCT. Semi-structured interviews (n = 14) captured users’ experiences when using the application. Data were collected from June 2019 to January 2020. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, and interviews were analyzed thematically. Only 57/170 users (34%) logged at least one meal, and only 35 meals on average were logged for eight weeks because of the incorrectly worded food items and limited food database. On the contrary, an average of 1.85 (SD = 1.60) weight values were logged per week since the weight tracking component was easy to use. Many users (6/14 (43%)) mentioned that the automatic coach messages created an immediate sense of self-awareness in food choices and motivated behavior. The findings suggest that for GDM management, a largely automated mHealth application has the potential to promote self-awareness of healthy lifestyle choices, reducing the need for intensive human resources. Additionally, several gaps in the application’s design were identified which need to be addressed in future works.

scholarly journals Insights from an early stage development mixed methods study on arts-based interventions for older adults following hospitalisation

2021 ◽  
pp. 102745
Author(s):  
Amanda M. Clifford ◽  
Joanne Shanahan ◽  
Hilary Moss ◽  
Triona Cleary ◽  
Morgan Senter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Stage Development
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